Loose-leaf binder



Aug. 13, 1929. R, M, WATSON 1,724,329

' LOOSE LEAF BINDER Fild July 25, 1927 zye'e 1% 1 J5 %;g4 F 14 79in? INVENTOR. mcfiawd JV: i d oh A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES RICHARD M. WATSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed July 25,

This invention relates to a loose leaf binder and it has to do more especially with ring construction of a loose leaf binder and the method of making the same.

The type of loose leaf binder referred to, is that which employs rings which extend through apertures in the sheets of paper to be held thereby. These rings may be composed of two substantially semi-circular members, separable to permit insertion or removal of the paper, or they may be of a single member mounted to be pivoted to separate one end from a base to permit removal or insertion of the paper. It has been the practice to make the rings in such binders out of wire round in cross-section. However, it is desirable to have the rings oval or somewhat flattened in cross-section, as the oval ring nicely fits into the hole in the paper and securely holds the paper, due to the fact that its dimension which extends transversely to an outward pull of the paper is greater than this dimension of the round ring. Moreover, the appearance of the binder with oval rings is preferred over that of the round ring and the finer trade has a preference toward the use of the oval ring.

A drawback to the oval cross section ring binder is the expense of manufacture. Whereas a binder with round rings can be relatively cheaply made by utilizing lengths of properly shaped wire, round in cross section, with one wire forming two or more rings or half-rings, it has been necessary heretofore to make each oval cross-section ring or each oval cross-section half-ring separately and secure it to a supporting member by clamping, riveting, or otherwise. This supporting member referred to is not the usual visible metal base which covers and conceals from view the mechanism for controlling the snap separating and closing action of the rings. This supporting member is a separate piece which is also concealed by the usual metal visible base. It will be obvious that the cost of manufacturing a construction wherein each ring has to be made up separately and individually secured to a separate supporting member is not only more expensive, but due to the fact that it is made up of several parts, the rings are liable to become loose from the su )port after a period of time.

ilhe present invention aims to obviate 1927. Serial No. 208.133.

these objections to the oval ring binder, and the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a loose leaf binder provided with an oval ring. such loose leaf binder being in open posi tion.

Fig. 2 is a back view showing the wire members which form the rings and the cover or base therefor.

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of a wire member bent into angular form and ready to be operated upon to provide an oval ring.

F 1g. 4%. is a sectional view taken through suitable dies for swedging or flattening the portions which form the holding rings.

Fig. 5 a sectional view through dies suitable for forming the oval wire of Fig. 6 into half ring form. i

Fig. 6 is a view of the portion of wire after it has been operated on by the dies shown in Fig. 4. i

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the wire formed with an oval ring portion.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 1.

This loose leaf binder may be provided with a back or base 1 of sheet-metal turned inwardly at its edges to form inwardly opening U-channels 2 and 3, and provided near its ends with openings .4- "for the reception of a suitable rivet ,or other securing means for fastening the back to a cover 6.

This base is formed with openings 7 to permit the rings to project therethrough. As shown, the base member is provided with openings for two rings, but a greater number of openings can be provided if desired. As shown in Fig. 2, there are two wire members 8 and 9, each having portions disposed in the channel formations as at 10 and 11. The members are bent inwardly toward each other as shown, and are preferably interlocked with each other as at 12. Each end of each wire member extends through an opening 7, and above the base the ends are curved to form half-rings. The half-rings are opened or closed by a rocking movement of the two wires in the U-shaped channels and by rocking on each other at the points 12. The arrangement is such that the points 12 move over a center line, at which point they are compressed against each other by reason of being held in the channels. This provides fora snap movement in the opening and closing of the rings.

The wire 8 in the form shown, is shaped to providehalf-rings, and the wire 9 is shaped to'provide cooperating half-rings. Each wire is separately acted upon to shape the same, and a description of one will suffice for both. The wire 8 is shown in Fig. 3, and it is bent in angle form near its ends to provide portions 14. This wire is round in cross-section, as depicted in Fig. 3. The wire is now placed between dies as shown in Fig. 4, and these dies are brought together under pressure and engage the portions 14 andswedge or flatten them so that they are made substantially oval in cross section. The wire is then placed between the-upper and lower die members 15 and 16. The die members are brought together, and the portions 14 of the wire are given a ring form, or,

more accurately, substantially a half-ring.

form.

By reference to Fig. 5 it will be noted that the end of the portion 14 projects'slightly beyond the forming parts of the dies. The two die members are provided with cutting edges 17 and 18 which cut the end of the wire into generally an S shape, as shown at 19 in Fig. 7 Thus,simultaneously the wire is formed with a half-ring, and cut at its ends to form an S-joint for cooperation withanother half-ring. This type of joint is well known and is shown at 20 in Fig. 1.

This sort of joint is what may be termed a universal one, in that there is no difference between rights and lefts. Accordingly, after the wire is stamped out in this manner, any two of them can be selected at random and used together in a book binder, and they will interfit together in a proper manner. This sort of oint can be nicely used with an ovalring wherein the width of the ring is suflicient to permit the same, but it is not feasible with a round ring because there is not sufficient width or diameter with a round ring, and as a result, round rings are made in rights and lefts.

The construction of the base and of the wire arrangement underneath the base as shown in Fig. 2 is not claimed herein. This construction is a desirable. one because it can be, manufactured economically and heretofore has been useful withround rings. However, heretofore it has notbeen possible to use this desirable construction with rings oval in cross-section because, as above set forth, each ring, or rather half-ring, was made separately and then individually secured to a separate member underlying the usual base 1. It will be seen that this invention eliminates the use of the extra parts underneath the base .andthat oval rings are provided which are integral with lengths of wire underlying the base. Thus, manufacturing advantages heretofore present only with loose leaf binders employing rings round in cross-section are obtained in loose leaf binders employing rings oval or flattened in cross-section. The portion of the wire which underlies the base is allowed to remain round in cross-section, and only the portions which are formed into rings are stamped into flattened form.

The term oval in the description and claims appended hereto is used in a broad sense, as being descriptive of a ring which, in cross section, shows a curved outline which is somewhat flattened. It is not the intention that the invention be limited strictly to an oval cross-section, nor to the particular showing of the drawing, as the oval flattened shape shown in the drawing is for the purpose only of depicting one of the flattened shapes which may be given to the rings. The amount of flattening may vary, as required.

Claims:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a ring construction comprising a length of wire having its ends shaped to provide each a holding ring section and having a central portion for attachmentto the binder, the said ends which form the holding rings being substantially oval in cross-section.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a ring construction comprising a single length of wire having a central portion of considerable length and round in cross-section for attachment to the binder, the ends of the wire projecting upwardly and shaped to provide holding ring sections, the said ends which are shaped to provide holding rings being sub- Stantially oval in cross-section.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a ring construction comprising a single length of wire having a central'portion of considerable length for attaclnnent to the binder, the ends of the wire extending upwardly from the binder and each being of substantially semicircular shape to provide one-half of a holding ring, said ends which are thus shaped to provide one-half of a holding ring being integral with the central portion and being substantially oval in cross-section.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a. ring construction comprising two lengths of wire, *ach provided with a central portion, substantially round in cross-section for attachment to the binder and each having its ends extending upwardly from the binder and curved to substantially semi-eircular form and cooperating with those of the other wire to form holding ring sections. said semicircular portions being substantially oval in cross-section.

5. A three-piece loose leaf binder with holding rings substantially oval or in crosssection comprising a base member and two lengths of wire secured to the base member and each having a body portion round in cross-section, the ends of each wire pro eeting upwardly from the base and being curved to form half holding rings and cooperating with those of the other wire to form complete holding rings, the said curved ends being substantially oval in cross section.

6. The method of manufacturing substantially oval holding rings for a loose binder which comprises utilizing a single length of Wire subjecting a portion of this wire to pressure to swedge the metal into substantially oval shape in cross-section and forming this portion into a holding ring section.

7. The method of manufacturing substan tially oval holding rings for a loose leaf binder which comprises utilizing a single length of wire round in cross section, swedging the ends of this wire until they are substantially oval in cross section and then shaping these ends into holding ring sections.

8. The method of manufacturing substan tially oval holding rings for a loose leaf binder which comprises utilizing a single length of wire round in cross-section, bending the ends of the wire at an angle to the remaining portion of the Wire subjecting these ends to pressure to give them oval shape in cross-section and then curving the ends to form holding ring sections.

9. The method of manufacturing substantially oval holding rings for a loose leaf hinder which comprises utilizing a single length of wire round in cross-section, bending the ends of the wire at an angle to the remaining portion of the wire, subjecting these ends to pressure to give them a substantially oval shape in cross-section and then simultaneously curving these ends and severing some of the metal at the extreme ends to form holding ring sections each provided with reversible right and left connecting joint.

10. The method of manufacturing sub stantially oval. rings for a loose leaf binder which comprises utilizing a single length of wire round in cross-section, subjecting the ends of the Wire to pressure to give the ends a substantially oval shape in cross-section, forming these ends into a curved shape to provide one-half of a holding ring each, cutting the extreme end of each half holding ring is Sform, thus to provide a reversible right or left wire with substantially oval. one-half holding rings.

11. The method of manufacturing sub stantially oval rings for a loose leaf binder which comprises utilizing a single length of wire substantially circular in cross-section, shaping the Wire to provide a central portion and end portions at an angle to the central portion, subjecting the end portions to pressure to swedge the metal. into substantially oval shape in cross-section, and severing the extreme ends with an S-Jcut and simultaneously giving the ends a substantially semicircular form to provide reversible right and left wire members with substantially oval half holding rings.

12. In a loose leaf binder, a ring construc tion comprising a single length of wire having a major body substantially circular in cross-section which is suitably shaped for attachment to the binder, and an end portion integral with the major body which is shaped to provide a holding ring section, said holding ring section being substantially oval in cross-section.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

RICHARD M. XVATSON. 

